Tyron Whitten (WA, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

This bill, the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Make Price Gouging Illegal) Bill 2024, makes a mockery of this place. The Senate is a place for serious debate on the issues that affect this country, not a place for socialist dog whistles. They've titled the bill with a name that no-one could disagree with—after all, who wants price gouging?—and filled it with pure socialist government control. Let me be clear: One Nation cares deeply about the people of Australia and making a dollar go as far as possible, but this bill will not achieve that.

They call economics the dismal science because economics ignores utopian dreams and follows the ironclad laws of supply and demand. Capping prices does not work. Price caps destroy supply, kill competition, reduce quality and limit choice. What actually drives down prices is greater competition and innovation. The Greens quite rightly point out that we have a concentrated supermarket sector, but that is because of government regulation. More government regulation will not solve this problem. The only businesses that can afford to comply are the big players. Mum-and-dad stores, cooperatives, are locked out.

Who in their right mind would start a business under this Labor government? Every step of the way you are hamstrung by regulation, navigating a broken tax system. Income tax, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, goods and services tax—the list goes on. You need to navigate oppressive industrial relations laws, green tape and compulsory surveys. There is no relief for small business, so guess what—they're disappearing. I know the Greens will say, 'This is only targeting the big end of town,' but where do you think the big end of town starts? It starts with small businesses that grow into big businesses and provide people with choice. I should know; I started a business with only me and my brother and ended up with over a thousand employees. I can tell you this: I don't think I'd be able to do it again under the current laws. I would be crushed by the red, green and black tape. The government already controls every aspect of business. Now the Greens want to control prices. We have seen this show before, in Mao's China and Stalin's Soviet Union. This is not a recipe for human flourishing; it's a road map to deprivation.

The real price gouging in Australia comes from those that are trying to push these bills—the government. If you want a real monopoly, look at the taxman. Look at those that are able to charge you what they like. The real villain, taking money out of the pocket of everyday Australians, is the Labor government. This government is the reason that people can't afford the basics. Those opposite have fuelled inflation through their reckless spending. They are the root cause of the cost-of-living crisis. If the government is silly enough to go down this path, the shareholders of these companies will make their profits, and they will do so by pushing down on suppliers, cutting costs and quality. The farmers will be the ones that are squeezed out, and when they're gone they're gone for good.

One Nation will deliver real cost relief to Australians—less tax, less red and green tape, more money in your pocket and more choice for all Australians.